Chapter 1 Civics: Government

• ”Civics” is the study of rights and duties of citizenship.
• Civics discusses elections, politicians, and citizenship because it is useful for us to become a well-rounded citizen.
• “Authoritarian decisions” allow little to no input from the people.
• “Democratic decisions” are based on the will of the people. 
• “Consensus decisions” are based on the general agreement of the community. 
• An example of Authoritarian decision would be teachers telling their students to do their homework. 
• A democratic decision would be voting on what movie to watch at school.
• A consensus decision would be deciding where to go on a field trip by asking everyone’s opinion.
• Democratic Elections  

  • Two or more political parties 
  • Free press
  • Free media
  • Free, fair, frequent elections
  • Equal legal rights
  • Courts free of political control
  • Minorities respected
  • Will of the people
• Authoritarian governments 

  • Only one political party
  • government-controlled press
  • Censored media
  • Fake elections or no elections 
  • Unequal legal rights
  • Courts under political control 
  • Minorities are often under attack
  • make laws without considering the people
  • No tolerance for Opposition of government 
• The MAIN difference between democratic and authoritarian government is that democratic government is based on the consent of the governed while authoritarian government is based on the consent of the ruler.
• Thomas Hobbes believed in the idea of the state of nature, where people are naturally selfish and violent.
• Jean Jacques Rousseau believed that society was better than living alone because it allowed individuals to work together towards common goals. However, he also believed that democracy could lead to tyranny if citizens did not participate actively in their own governance.
• Direct Democracy is when the people decide on laws and policies directly.
• “Representative democracy” is when the citizens vote for a politician who represents and voices the citizen’s interest/ opinions in law.
• In Authoritarian decision making they deal with oppositions by. .. Only one political party, government-controlled press, Censored media, Fake elections or no elections.
• In Democratic decision making they deal with oppositions by Two or more political parties, Free press, Free media, Free, fair/ frequent elections.
• Negotiation occurs when opposing parties discuss what they both want and come to an agreement.
• Mediation occurs when opposing parties bring in another person to referee and be the middle opinion which validates both sides. 
• Arbitration occurs when opposing parties bring in another person who has the power to impose a solution, may or may not consider any side's opinion. 
• Some obstacles to democracy are...

  1. Ethnic diversity fuels conflicts as people hold divergent values and beliefs, hindering solutions.
  2. A significant rich-poor divide reflects the necessity of a robust middle class for fair democratic functioning.
  3. Low literacy rates limit participation in activities requiring reading, leading to unfairness.
• What is a civil society and NGOs?


  1. Civil society" are citizen-led groups that are not looked over by the of government and address issues from local to global levels. They keep track of the government and work to make the wellbeing of people happy.
  2. NGOs (non-government organizations) track government actions and hold them accountable, along with media and opposition parties.
• What is authority?

  Authority: The right to give orders or make decisions, based on the ability to persuade others of one's decision-making capability.
• What is influence?

  Influence: The power to persuade people to act, particularly emphasized in democratic systems.
• What is coercion?

  Coercion: Using threats or force to intimidate citizens into compliance, typically seen in authoritarian governments.
• What is rule of law?

  Rule of law: Principle dictating that both government and citizens must abide by the law, ensuring equality before the law, prevalent in democracies.
• What is the CONSTITUTION ACT of 1867 and 1987?

  Law of the land: Constitution (1867, 1982) delineating governmental powers, types of governance, and rights and freedoms protection.
• What is the Charter of Rights and Freedom?

  Charter of Rights & Freedoms (1982): Constitution-embedded document safeguarding citizens' rights and freedoms.
• What is a republic?

  Republic: A nation where power is vested in the people or their elected representatives.
• What is a dictatorship?

  Dictatorship: Absolute power held by a single ruler, often lacking accountability and opposition tolerance.
• What is the difference between citizens and subjects?

  • Citizens: Individuals with rights who engage in government decisions through voting.
  • Subjects: Individuals with limited rights who comply with a leader's rules without influence over governance.
• Name 5 Democratic Countries?

  1. Canada
  2. Chile
  3. Japan
  4. Australia
  5. Norway
• Name 5 Authoritarian Countries?

  1. Cuba
  2. Western Sahara
  3. Somalia
  4. Russia
  5. Thailand
• Thomas Hobbes believed in Authoritarian/Dictatorship government.
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau believed in Democratic government.
• In 2005, 102 countries were considered democratic.
• An elected president of head of state is called a republic.